Shoe having an elongated shank portion



y 1961 c. HESS SHOE HAVING AN ELONGATED SHANK PORTION Filed Nov. 12, 1958 United rates Patent 6" 2,992,496 SHOE HAVING AN ELONGATED SHANK PORTION Charlotte Hess, 810 Carnegie Hall, New York, N.Y. Filed Nov. 12, 1958, Ser. No. 773,267 1 Claim. (Cl. 36-85) Ihis invention relates to shoes, particularly womens high-heeled shoes, and the principal object thereof is to provide a novel elongated shank shoe embodying certain features of construction hereinafter set forth.

In the present-day shoe, the shank section ends below the ball only of the foot, which is too short, and which forces the ball of the foot to sink too low in relation to the heel of the foot, thereby cramping the toes upwardly and causing strain and pain to the ball of the foot.

One object of my invention is to provide a sole giving a firm and even support to the ball of the foot as well as to the heel of the foot, so that the shoe constructed in this manner would conform exactly to the bone structure of the foot.

The break in the average present-day shoe is at the end of the shank or rigid section and where the wide part of the sole of the shoe begins. This makes the shank section of the shoe not only too short, but also too narrow for the metatarsal bones of the foot. By lengthening this shank section a reasonable distance, in most shoes about to an inch, not only can this lengthened part be widened for more comfort, but also better supported at the sides of the upper, and thus bring the wide part of the foot and the Wide part of the shoe into a conforming fit for walking and standing, that is more comfortable and easy than with present shoes.

Another object is to provide a sole which not only involves a change in the back section of the sole, but which requires a corresponding change in the form, as well as in the position, of the attached heel.

I not only consider as important the supporting strength of the leg and foot, but also consider the calf muscle which supplies the power to lift the foot, taking into consideration the correct alignment of the foot to the lower leg at the ankle, where the bodys weight is supported, as well as the calf muscle in the back of the lower leg which originates from the thigh and connects through the Achilles tendon with the end of the heelbone, and which muscle supplies the power, transmitting it through the tendon to the heel, in order to lift the foot during the process of walking.

A further object resides in the placement of heels on shoes, particularly ladies shoes, medium or high-heeled, in combination with the lengthened shank portion. Without the lengthened shank, the heel cannot be comfortably adjusted further forwardly. It is also important that the heel be straight, and this can only be effected by shaping the back part of the sole with an elevated point disposed further forwardly than normally from the rear end of the sole.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one practical embodiment thereof, to enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a Womans highheeled shoe, showing my novel elongated shank sole applied thereto, said figure showing in full lines the parts of the sole in position assumed when the shoe is normally supporting the foot of the wearer on a substantially flat surface, and showing in dotted lines the point of flexing of the outsole of my novel shoe during the process of walking or dancing, and showing in dot-and-dash lines Patented July 18, 1961 ice which is substantially straight as distinguished from being forwardly inclined, which heel C may be of any desired straight-type, substantially normal to the ground surface.

The outsole 0 may be formed of leather or any other desired substantially rigid material. The heel seat portion B1 of the sole 0 is substantially horizontal, overlying the straight heel C, the flat portion B1 extending forwardly to a point B3 which, as shown in FIG. 1, is disposed arched over the breast of heel C, for the reason hereinafter described. The general contour of sole B continues forwardly towards the toe portion of the shoe underlying the ball of the foot.

The point of flexing of the sole 0 under the ball of the foot is indicated at B4 which is somewhat in advance of the normal line B3 of flexing in the standard or normal shoe, the sole when flexed being indicated by the dotted lines B5 in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sole of a standard or presentday or usual womans shoe is shown in dot-and-dash lines, the sole 0 having a shank O2 and a heel portion supported by a heel C disposed in the rear of my heel C shown in full lines in FIG. 1, the sole 0 of the presentday shoe sloping upwardly and rearwardly so that when a foot is inserted in the shoe the heel portion of the foot will slide downwardly over the shank O2 and force the major portion of the foot into the shoe at or above the ball portion of the sole 0', thereby substantially placing the entire weight of the body upon the ball portion of the sole 0. Thus the entire weight of the body of the wearer in the present-day shoe is cramped into and supported almost entirely by the cramped ball of the foot instead of primarily by the heel of the foot, as it should In my novel shoe, however, the weight of the body is supported largely by the heel portion B of the sole which is substantially horizontally disposed and which extends forwardly beyond the breast of the heel C and has its point of fairing B3 engaging the front of the heel bone of the foot, the shank of the sole having its point of flexing B4 disposed forwardly of the corresponding point in the present-day shoe, whereby the ball of the sole will normally support only the remainder of the weight of the body of the wearer rather than substantially the full weight, as in the present-day shoe.

I have found that during walking, in order to use the foot and lower leg correctly for support of the bodys weight, the foot should be approximately disposed at right angles to the leg, i.e. at the angle bone where the foot and leg are joined. With the lower leg thus properly centered over the foot, the toes and metatarsals should go have individual movement, which they must have for a well balanced foot, so as to adapt the pressure of the down-coming weight on the ground, in order to shift said weight if it becomes too concentrated at any point over the arch of the foot. This individual movement of the toes and metatarsal is blocked by the present-day shoes,

usually by too much falling over at the heels of the foot and shoes. The placement of heels on practically all shoes invites the use of the back of the foot for support, while in the forefoot there is usually no function other than the pressure at the ball of the foot where the shoe usually breaks. The present-day shoe, in my opinion, is faulty in the construction of the shank or rigid section,

which is usually out of alignment with the bone structure of the foot.

The length of the arched or shank section 02 of the present-day sole is designed in relation to the height of the heel C, rather than conforming to the length of the arched foot, from the heel to the jointure of the toes. After long and careful observation and experimentation I have found that the rigid shank section of the shoe O2 is too short and the flexible sole is too long, in relation to the proportion of the bone structure of the bare foot. The rigid shank section 02 of present-day shoe ends below the ball of the foot, about an inch or so too short, which forces the ball of the foot to sink, thereby cramping the toes and interfering with the grasping function of the toes within the shoes, causing unnecessary strain and pain to the ball of the foot. The ball of the foot, which is the cushioned part covering the heads of the metatarsal bones, should have the same firm support as the rest of the foot, to hold it in correct alignment with the toes, thus making it easy for the tips of the toes to grasp, thereby releasing the downward pressure of the ball of the foot to a considerable extent.

The foot is attached to the lower leg bones at the ankle and they work together as a unit. The calf muscle in the back of the lower leg is attached to the heel bone by the Achilles tendon, and its function is to lift the entire arched foot at the heel, a perfect lever action, with the toes grasping the ground, in order to spring the body forwardly and upwardly in walking. The construction of the present-day shoe thus restrains this lever action at the ball of the foot, through lack of a uniform support.

The present-day heel-walking is the result of faulty shoe construction, which does not sufliciently support the lever action of the whole foot, causing the body weight to fall over the heels of the shoes, with a corresponding downward pressure at the ball of the foot, and this is bound to result in a gradual flattening of the arch of the foot.

My invention is to change the basic construction of the shoes, by lengthening the shank or rigid section 0 a reasonable distance (in most shoes about to an inch), thus bringing the shoes in alignment with the hinging of the toes. Such shoes would conform much better to the bone structure of the foot, allowing them to adjust easily to the natural function of the foot and lower leg during the process of walking. My solution, therefore, is to construct a shoe identical to the contours of the functioning foot during the process of walking.

I do not merely straighten the regular heel portion B of the sole of the shoe, but extend the straight portion B forwardly to a point B3, which point B3 is disposed upwardly and arched over the breast of heel C, and which brings the high point B3 closer and into better alignment with the prominent lip part of the calcaneus, the lip of the oalcaneus providing support for the talus or ankle bone. Then I reinforce this high point B3 with the support of a straight heel C by providing that the inner margin of the top of the heel C merges into this high point B3, thus providing a secure support not only for the high point of the heel portion of the shoe, but also for that part of the calcaneus which supports the ankle bone, as well as for the lower leg bones. This prevents the foot from slipping either forwardly or backwardly within the shoe.

This alignment of the heel C of the shoe with the high point 133 of the heel portion sole B not only makes it comfort-able to use the heel of the shoe during walking, but it brings about a decided feeling that the heel C of the shoe is disposed further forwardly of the heel of the foot, although the heel C of the shoe is actually in the same place; and this differently-feeling heel position of the shoe, being now in a much better alignment with the lower leg bones and supporting muscles of the leg and foot, allows the calf muscle, which makes up the calf of the leg, i.e. almost half of the leg, constant freedom of action to lift the foot from the heel during walking, instead of using this calf muscle for supporting the body weight which is the average habit when the heel of the shoe is disposed too far back. The use of the calf muscle for weight support causes the lower leg to jut backwardly and forces the calves into a more or less sabre-shaped outline, which brings about an overstretch at the back of the knee.

What is called the heel of the foot is a projection of the calcaneus, and the two points on the plantar side of the heel bone by which the bone touches the ground are between /2 and A of an inch forward from the very end of the foot. Applicant has always considered that an allowance should be made within the shoe for this end part of the heel of the foot, i.e. this end part should have a feeling of being behind the heel of the shoe.

My heel construction definitely requires the forward lengthening of the shank, otherwise the shoe would not feel balanced. The lengthened shank has, of course, also the advantage of the toes being closer to the ground and are thus able to participate in the functioning of the foot and leg. All heels on shoes, whether wide or narrow, low or high, should give the feeling of support being directed more toward the center of the shoe instead of toward the end, and this would of necessity bring the lower leg and forefoot into better alignment at the ankle, i.e., to an approximate right-angle position, and thus function as a unit.

If the support from the heel of the shoe is disposed too far back, as it is in most shoes, then the heel of the foot and calf of the leg do most of the supporting of body weight, thereby leaving the leg bones on the loose side and toes turned upwardly. The whole body adjusts itself accordingly, i.e., instead of being naturally upright, it will be on the leaning side.

As long as there are heels on shoes, the heel of the shoe is bound to come in contact with the floor first, during walking. In order to be able to use the heel of the shoe to advantage, it should be in better alignment with the front of the leg instead of with the calf, and the shoe should be constructed accordingly, e

What I have done, therefore, is to construct a functional shoe for the entire forefoot and lower leg bones (with better participation of the toes) and with enough space left for the back portion of the foot, leaving the calf muscle freedom to function. Without altering the basic design of shoes, even the most modern, except for trying to give them a more beautiful outline, I have moved the main supporting section of the shoe further forward within the shoe, and with corresponding heel adjustment. The arch of the foot has a firm grip within this shoe and cannot slide, which is most conducive to stronger feet, as well as for an upright and proper carriage, and makes a backward leaning of the body uncomfortable.

A change in the front section of the sole of the shoe has not only been made, but also a change in the back section of the sole, which required a corresponding change in the form, as well as in the position of the attached heel. With this changed construction, the average foot could be spared any possible serious trouble later on, the foot could be made more comfortable, and the posture of the body automatically corrected.

I have not only considered the supporting strength of the leg and foot, but also the calf muscle which supplies the power to lift the foot. I have taken into consideration the correct alignment of the foot to the lower leg at the ankle, where the bodys weight is supported, as well as the calf muscle in back of the lower leg, which originates from the thigh and connects through the Achilles tendon with the end of the heelbone, and which muscle supplies the power, transmitting it through the tendon to the heel, in order to lift the foot during the process of Walking.

With such shoes as applicant constructs, with a length ened support inside the front of the shoe, an elevated point in the back-sole, for the heel of the foot to extend unforced, and with the heel of the shoe placed further forward from the end \and straight, thus giving additional support only to the elevated point in the shoe, in line with the center of weight support, the bodys weight feels much more securely supported, the feeling being all the way down to the floor, and it becomes much easier for the body to remain upright without any strain, since it cannot comfortably fall either forwardly or backwardly. In such position the calf muscle and tendon is free to function in the lifting of the foot from the heel within the shoe. Such constructed shoe gives a very comfortable feeling of freedom to the heel of the foot.

The placement of heels on shoes, particularly ladies shoes, medium or high-heeled, is as important as the lengthened foot support. Only without the lengthened front, the heel can not be comfortably adjusted further forwardly. It is also important that the heel is straight, and this could only be done by shaping the back part of the sole with an elevated point B3 further forwardly from substantially horizontally, and the shank portion being shifted forwardly so that its intersection with the sole is a substantial distance forward of its position in a corresponding normal shoe, and the ground contacting surface of the heel being shifted substantially the same distance forwardly of its position in a corresponding normal shoe, the heel seat portion of said heel extending forwardly a suflicient distance to engage the wearers heel bone, and the shank portion merging with said substantially horizontal heel seat portion to form a curve disposed substantially at the breast of the heel, whereby the weight of the body of the wearer will be largely supported at the heel portion of the sole, and the ball portion of the sole supporting substantially the remainder of the wearers weight.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 32,487 Plumer June 4, 1861 1,417,170 Hosmer May 23, 1922 1,544,625 Austin July 7, 1925 1,580,170 Scholl Apr. 13, 1926 2,210,332 Eich Aug. 6, 1940 2,379,000 Gould June 26, 1945 2,465,817 Perugia Mar. 29, 1949 2,794,270 Dubner June 24, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 586,476 Germany Oct. 21, 1933 

